Electrical connector with a locking mechanism
First Claim
1. An electrical connector with a locking mechanism, comprising:
- a cylindrical fitting portion which can be fitted into a cylindrical fitted portion of a counter electrical connector;
a cylindrical lock ring which is attached to said fitting portion so as to be rotatable and axially movable;
a guide face which is formed on said lock face, which extends in a spiral direction, and to which, when said fitted portion is fitted into said fitted portion, an outward projection disposed on said fitted portion is opposed;
a cam face and an engaging face which is continuous with said cam face, said cam face and said engaging face being sectionally formed in said guide face, and, when said lock ring is rotated, being engaged with said outward projection to guide said lock ring toward a lock position in an advancing direction;
a spring member which always urges said lock ring toward an initial position in a retracting direction; and
a positioning mechanism that is formed by a protruding portion and a recess portion which is to be fitted onto and unfitted from said protruding portion, said protruding portion and said recess portion are respectively formed on said fitting portion and said lock ring, said positioning mechanism restricts a rotation angle of said lock ring at said initial position, and a restricted state of the rotation angle is canceled by a forward movement of said lock ring toward the lock position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to an electrical connector with a locking mechanism which is to be locked to a counter electrical connector by insertedly connecting the connector to the counter electrical connector and then conducting a given rotating operation, and in which only a given rotation operation is required for enabling a locking state to be naturally canceled by a spring force. According to the present invention, irrespective of whether the electrical connector has a single pole or plural poles, the connectors can be connected and locked to each other without requiring an adjustment of a lock ring in the peripheral direction, only by determining the fitting position. In the electrical connector with a locking mechanism of the present invention, a lock ring at the initial position is positioned by fitting between a protruding portion disposed on a fitting portion, and a recess portion disposed in a lock ring fitted onto the fitting portion. When the lock ring is positioned by the fitting of the protruding portion and the recess portion, a fitting mechanism conducts the positioning operation and a connector is insertedly connected to the counter connector. Then, an outward projection of the counter electrical connector is fitted into a slot of the lock ring. The lock ring is always urged in the advancing direction by a spring member.
81 Citations
12 Claims
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1. An electrical connector with a locking mechanism, comprising:
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a cylindrical fitting portion which can be fitted into a cylindrical fitted portion of a counter electrical connector;
a cylindrical lock ring which is attached to said fitting portion so as to be rotatable and axially movable;
a guide face which is formed on said lock face, which extends in a spiral direction, and to which, when said fitted portion is fitted into said fitted portion, an outward projection disposed on said fitted portion is opposed;
a cam face and an engaging face which is continuous with said cam face, said cam face and said engaging face being sectionally formed in said guide face, and, when said lock ring is rotated, being engaged with said outward projection to guide said lock ring toward a lock position in an advancing direction;
a spring member which always urges said lock ring toward an initial position in a retracting direction; and
a positioning mechanism that is formed by a protruding portion and a recess portion which is to be fitted onto and unfitted from said protruding portion, said protruding portion and said recess portion are respectively formed on said fitting portion and said lock ring, said positioning mechanism restricts a rotation angle of said lock ring at said initial position, and a restricted state of the rotation angle is canceled by a forward movement of said lock ring toward the lock position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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Specification